From TomC: Lylyth, Herald of Everblight [Sarah the Succubus] (5 points)

Hello again one and all, I hope everyone is as well as can be and very pleased to see everyone's progress to date, some great entries so far (and we're still only in January!). My entry today is a relatively simple offering to guide me between the locales of Limbo and Gluttony (like my pre-breakfast state) and is Lylyth (Lylyth1 to be exact, there are several iterations!) who was one of Privateer Press's warlocks for the Legion of Everblight faction within their Hordes / Warmachine game systems. I say was since she dates back to MkI / 1st edition and Warmachine is now up to MkIV, which involved an Age of Sigmar-esque purge of almost all their range, including this incarnation of Lylyth. Previews suggest she will be back as a sort of mecha-dragon though, so how's that for character development?

As with much of the pile of potential, I picked Lylyth up quite some time ago, around 2016 when Privateer Press were changing the starter boxes over between editions. Of course, one thing lead to another, with neither being actually getting round to painting what I'd bought! What eventually kicked me into action were these splendidly silly ice bases that Customeeple makes for the Malifaux game, I was very pleased to have an excuse to buy more things and even more pleased to actually use them... If you look closely, there are things under the ice as well, Lylyth here has some pseudo-Cthulu tentacles, but others from the set have fish, monsters, dead bodies and the other typical detritus of fantasy waterways... 10/10, if a little unusual to paint!

On the topic of painting, David Soper has been walking through his work on a wonderful piece of his with an interesting colour palette on his blog, and I was feeling motivated to try something different, so I broadly cribbed his hard work with the purple and cold NMM gold being the primary colours. I modified things a little to make my life easier, the NMM goes from VGC Heavy Black Green rather than VMC Dark Sea Blue (to VMC US Olive Drab then S75 Tenere Yellow, to white). I did use the Dark Sea Blue for the iron bow, to Citadel Stegadon Scale Green then VMC Russian Tank Crew (which I am overly fond of), although this is entirely my own invention. 

I haven't tried painting purple before, this was just the Games Workshop triad of Naggaroth Night, Xereus Purple and Genestealer Purple, all of which had been lying around unused. To try and keep a consistent tone, I used the Genestealer Purple mixed with VMC Old Rose as the basis for the skin base, aiming for a slightly unnatural look appropriate for the disciple of an evil demonic dragon...

Humble scoring for today but I owe Teemu for fixing my labels last time (thank you!), so just 5 points today for our 32mm antagonist, which will teach me to spend time on single character models! Next time should hopefully see something a little larger!

TeemuL: It is good to see someone paying attention to the Theme round, that's what Thursdays are all about? I have never really investigated the Warmachines/Hordes line, they seem so specific minis, that they don't mix nicely with others and since I don't know anyone interested in playing with them, I have mostly ignored them. But your Lylyth looks very nice and could be used in other settings, too. Your gold an purple look spot on, very royal look! The base looks interesting, too, never seen one of those before. Good luck on your venture to the Gluttony!

From MattW It’s all Greek to me (60 points)

Well as normal I have too much going on my painting desk to be sane… Ancient Greeks, 100 YW, ww2, Napoleonic and assembling plastic kits without getting anything finished. Yesterday I gave myself a talking too and concentrated on actually completing something and managed some Greeks, which freed up 3 inches square on the desk!

A unit of 5th century BC  28mm Greeks, immortal miniatures now sold by Warlord miniatures, great figures although the spears can plink off at anytime and two tips are somewhere in my painting room. Based for impetus with VVV decals.

28mm @ 5 points  x 12 = 60 points 

Cheers

MattW

TeemuL: Colourful entry, Matt. Something different for a change even when it is actually all the same - just finishing this unit to get some extra space on the desk to be able to start a new project... :) I have a box of those same minis, I might paint some of them now that I have seen what you have done - thank you for inspiration. It is funny how colourful these actually are, they are half naked and have plain clothes, but the colourful shields and helmets caption the eye. The nice green bases add more colour and the overall feeling is very colourful. One more lesson to focus painting the areas that matter!

From PeteB - Weston Toy Company - Mexican fury - 54 mm (10 Points)

This lady is a 54 mm figure from the Weston Toy Company made for the Magnificent Seven figures range.  I'm planning to paint more of these village people (7) for this challenge. Hopefully I can show them in the next few weeks. 

Oh she looks so angry!
You don't want to be hit by that broom!

I hope you like her.

Points: 1 x 54 mm Foot figure = 10 Points

TeemuL: I believe this an addition to your last week's Dulcop Napoleon French Infantry project, right? This can't be any new project, it doesn't sound like Thursday? Napoleonic French in Mexico.

Anyway, nice mini and well painted, looking forward to see the other village people.  Excellent shading on the white clothes and the broom looks very real. What material is this mini, plastic or resin? Probably not metal or she would fall...?

From KenR: 1/700 German Destroyer Z12 - Erich Giese (40 points)

It wouldn't be a Thursday without a 1/700 WW2 ship and this week is no different. Welcome to the final German Destroyer of the Narvik Project.

So thus is Z12 - Erich Giese a Type 1934A Destroyer, completed in March 1939, she had a short career being sunk on the 13th April 1940 at Narvik, but before that had been involved in mine laying actions as well as escorting two German Battlecruisers out to sea. She was also responsible for the torpedoing of HMS Jersey before heading to the Fjords.

Struggling with various mechanical and ammunition issues she survived the first days fighting at Narvik she managed to get into action on the 2nd day at a much reduced speed, Z12 ended up fighting 2 Tribal Class Destroyers and unsurprisingly came of worse and was sunk.

As previously this is a Trumpeter Model and this is the best kit for this ship in this scale. So its another 40 points to add to the total which keeps me on track for 1500 for the Challenge. Next up, ship wise is the British, I have started building HMS Hostile so hopefully you can see that next week. Finally a group shot of the German Destroyers done this challenge.

TeemuL: So you have done now the German ships, but will continue on the British ones. I'm glad several followers are happy to see more of these ships of yours. Myself, it seems like last week when I saw one of these ships, is that so? Yes it is, Thursday traditions are strong and alive! Another 40 points for you!

From MartinC: Bet I get the Maths Wrong again (400 points)

Another week, another shoddy attempt at maths. Retirement has impacted on my brain function, I spent 20 minutes last week trying to work out what day it was.

Another productive week of painting, "finished" the Barbarossa project and painted my Brother in Law's birthday present. Next week I am very busy, long weekend away and 2 days of gaming, so need to get my points in early.

I've been successfully teaching my BIL to play. Saxons vs Picts, using Kings of War in 28mm. He's really enjoying it and getting much better. So I decided to built him an army, Arthurian types. 

Gripping beast plastic Thegns. A box has 44 figures, not quite enough for 3 units, but I had 4 spare figures I could use to complete the forces. He is a massive Barnsley fan so these has rec and white shields

A unit of armoured spearman, these are in Sheffield Wednesday colours, the hated enemy. These can fight for Mordred. 

2nd unit of armoured spearman, back to Barnsley colours to calm him down 

Next up the last of the Barbarossa units. Already planning the upgrades and campaign for Case Blue

PzIII, Pendraken as always

Engineer Company 

Spare Motorcycle Company

Spare mortar and MG company

For the Russians a 76mm AA gun, command base and field gun

Motor rigle company, these may have too many men in each company, 3 bases not for, but better to have too many than not enough, and I can use them as a foot battalion instead 

Spare Russians,  SMG company, mortars and maxims

Scores, note I actually did get the maths wrong but spotted it

44 x 28mm foot 220 pts

5 x 10mm vehicles 30 points

3 x 10mm guns 9pts

124 x 10mm foot 124 pts

Total 383pts (ish)

TeemuL: Two very nice and familiar projects, not a surprise to anyone, I guess? I appreaciate your colour choices on Saxons and Picts and especially the reasoning behind that. It gives a little more personality to the games and persons might get personally involved, too, which is a good thing. Very nice and crisp shields!

Your Barbarossa project finished? I'm sure there is something to add, may be some snow? It must feel good to have a project done and you can focus on games and other projects. Well done. I don't say your maths are wrong, but when I did count all the individuals, I got 385 10mm foot, so five more than you... It might be my eyes or counting a mortar as a soldier or something like that. Anyway the total would be 388 and I'll give you two points for the shields.

From DaveD: Better make that first shot count (42 points)

Another week of working on the Ardennes table - I have it left set up and just keep adding bits..  Time for some US firepower in the form  of 4 Anti tank guns.  Not terribly big ones a mere 57mm. As that measurement might have confused our American cousins there will be some 3 inch ones coming out of the stash in due course.

 

I finally  found a colour for the US winter greatcoat I was happy with at the smaller scale - ironically German Med camo brown with a wash and highlight . 

The usual home made tufts and AK Snow paste for the bases. I need to spend an hour making another big batch of tufts this week too.

Next are a few “objective pieces” the start of a fuel dump , with a stash of oil drums from the stowage stash  - I have more stacks of the traditional Jerry cans on order at the moments . 

All 15mm stuff from Battlefront . 

Points 

4 guns = 16 pts

12 crew - 24 points 

40 in total to keep the scoreboard ticking.

TeemuL: Excellent! I like your commitment to keep the table setup, it will make it easy to take good photos, create small stories behind the units and undoubtly is quite inspiring, too. And thank you for mentioning your self made tufts, that's an art form I should try sometime. I'll give two bonus points for the fuel dumps. And I expect this project to continue and give joy to us in the near future?

From JezT: Silver Bayonet Part 2 - Assorted 28mm (22 points)

Dear All, 

Its a Thursday so must be time for some more snow bases and Silver Bayonet figures? This is my second batch and just four figures for 20 points. Pleased with these as they mean I can now field a squad and hopefully shortly play my first game. All were painted with Games Workshop paints. 

The basing style came about by chance when I was doing Part 1 as I started using some clear bases and initially just placed some snow basing on the metal part of the figure; I liked the way it looked as the terrain sheet will show through the base on the table and I am only planning to use these as individual skirmish figures. 

In more detail - first up we have the squad leader. The leader is Marshall Ney from Giants in Miniature to which I made a few conversions. I beefed up the musket as the original was a bit skimpy, I especially wanted a cartridge box and added this and a backpack. Originally I tried to sculpt a cartridge belt with Milliput, but the result was a bit clunky, so I pragmatically decided to paint it as a blanket role.   

As I am using a French squad option I really wanted to include a Vivandiere. I am not sure of the maker origin of the female figure and don't think it was a Napoleonic figure; I added in the wine bottle as her sustenance for the squad (not sure if that will go very far). 

The next two are North Star figures and painted them to fit in with the French squad. I like the sculpting of both of these and the male figure can take on a variety of squad roles - Junior Officer, Veteran Hunter and so on. 

So four figures and just a simple 20 points for me.

Cheers Jez

TeemuL: You are absolutely right, snow bases, Silver Bayonet and Napoleonics are exactly what the world is expecting from Thursdays and that is exactly what Thursdays are delivering! Nice addition to your squad and good luck with your games. Interesting to hear your story about the discovery of the basing style, sometimes accidents are great innovations. As it seems to be a tradition of today, I'll give you two bonus points for conversion work and telling the story of the bases. :)

From GrahameH: The Last of the 15mm Samurai and Two 15mm Spanish Tercio (358 points)

Just a small posting this week as I bring my Samurai army to completion.

First up two units of Ronin each of 16 figures. These are 15mm from Two Dragon Products (Dixon)

64 pts 

The Baggage and Stuff. 

Three Large Pavise (6pts) , a very large drum (6pts)  and a Samurai getting on his horse (10pts). I have scored each piece of equipment as 2 pts. Hope that is ok. It was just easier. (Total 22pts)

There are four bases of baggage with a total of 30 figures (60pts)

Finally a Camp?

There are 12 figures on this base (24pts). In addition to the usual Dixon ones, I have added some Essex figures as I need a seated general, and as I don't like throwing figures away, I added his Essex body guard (which may be from an earlier period than the rest of the army)

So the Samurai is done (well for the moment - an army is never truly finished I'm told) 

Total 170 pts

Before I started on my next project I thought I'd have a play. I have always wanted to make an 80 years War Spanish Army but never really liked how Tercio were portrayed in the rules I have seen. I did start this army a few years back and some of the figures were shown on this site in previous challenges. However, I noticed that Baroque rules had a whole Tercio on one base, rather than made up of lots of smaller units, so I gave it a go with the remainder if the unpainted Spanish I had. Anyhow, two Spanish Tercios, 15mm Essex figures. Still not sure. 93 figures 186Pts

I have already started the next project so something new in my next post.

Total 356 pts

TeemuL: Good to see one (or two) projects getting finished and a promise of a next one starting. Your two Tercio bases look great, there is something special when there are clearly differently equipped minis on the same base. Quite like a diorama, I'd say. And of course the baggage bases for your Samurai army have similar feeling. I'm sure they make the battlefield look more alive. Two additional points for the camp and overall goodness!